AUBURN, Alabama -- Auburn exits the spring with a better understanding of its personnel, but several position battles will continue through the summer and once again in fall camp in August. First-year coach Gus Malzahn and his staff feel good about the future but questions remain unanswered. AL.com beat reporters Joel A. Erickson and Brandon Marcello sift through the depth chart to review the spring position by position.

CENTER

The two-deep

Reese Dismukes (6-3, 290), starter; Tunde Fariyike (6-2, 307), backup

Gus Malzahn's take

"Reese Dismukes probably had the best spring of any of the linemen up front. Showed a lot of leadership ability and really led the way. Tunde also played center and we feel like he improved. I know he had the one bad snap with the miscommunication there in the spring game, but I feel like he improved at the center position."

The battle

View full sizeAuburn's Tunde Fariyike started in place of Reese Dismukes in the Tigers' season opener against Clemson on Saturday, Sept.1, 2012 in Atlanta. (Todd Van Emst/Auburn Media Relations)

Junior Reese Dismukes has a handle on the starting job, which is no surprise. He has 23 starts under his belt, even though he was limited late last season because of an injury. The Spanish Fort native was a preseason All-SEC selection in 2012 and will again be in the conversation this preseason.

Coaches placed Dismukes in position to develop his leadership skills this spring, a requirement in the hurry-up, no-huddle offense. He is also trying to move on and mature from his arrest stemming from a public intoxication charge last August, which led to him missing the opener against Clemson.

“Focused a lot more on the team – on the field, becoming more of a vocal leader; off the field, just doing everything right," Dismukes said this spring. "I don’t give myself a chance to get in trouble. That obviously can never happen again, or I won’t be here. So I had to change, and I’ve changed.”

Tunde Fariyike moved back and forth between guard and center in the spring but, as expected, settled at center.

The contenders

It's Dismukes and Fariyike. Only one lineman -- guard Deon Mix -- will join the team this summer. Alex Kozan, who will likely start at left guard, could move to center in emergency situations if needed. The same could be said of Devonte Danzey, a newcomer from the junior college ranks.

The future

Dismukes is the leader here. If injured, the rotation gets a bit dicey. Fariyike had a bad snap (miscommunication with quarterback Jonathan Wallace) in the spring game that led to a touchdown for the defense, but coaches say he will be fine in August.

Simply put, Dismukes might be the best lineman on the team.

Offensive line coach J.B. Grimes moved players from position to position in an effort to build depth and versatility on the offensive line, which could result in a player or two playing out of their "natural" position when required.

He said it

"Obviously I have a good chance to go to the next level if I keep doing what I've been doing. I can’t do that making mistakes like I did. I've just got to grow up and I've done that. Just keep advancing on the field, and getting better every day, coming to work."